According to state news agency TASS, a Russian court on Tuesday extended the pre-trial detention period for WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner on drug trafficking charges until July 2, pushing the deadline. Her prison time passed the four-month mark, according to the official state news agency TASS.
The Khimki Court of the Moscow Region has extended the extension for 18 days at the request of investigators, the agency quoted the court’s press service as saying. It is typical for Russian courts to extend detention several times until trial. Griner’s lawyer, Aleksandr Boikov, could not be immediately reached for comment.
The American basketball star was arrested four months ago after Russian officials said they found a vape box with traces of hash oil in her luggage while she was passing through Sheremetyevo, an international airport. main Moscow. This offense carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Ms. Griner was arrested on February 17, a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, but officials did not disclose that she had been detained until days after the war began, raising concerns that she had been detained. could be used as a bargaining chip in the overall crisis. There is some speculation that after her conviction, Ms. Griner may have been part of a prisoner exchange with the United States.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Ms. Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury, and US officials meet with the group on Monday to discuss efforts to secure her release. In May, the State Department said it determined that Ms. Griner had “wrongfully detained. ”
When she was arrested, Ms. Griner returned to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a professional women’s basketball team. Multiplayer WNBA supplement their income during the league’s season by competing internationally.
